Lesson 9

This week we talked about Outdoor recreation. We specifically talked about how using outdoor recreation with a disability can help others. I had a hard time connecting to this week personally because I am not very outdoorsy. I like sports. I decided to take the term outdoors with a grain of salt and think about it in broader terms. That seemed to help.

We watched quite a few videos that were incredibly inspiring. I will post a few of them below. For me I learned 2 main things. One is, everyone has a disability. Whether emotionally, physically, mentally, we all have an aspect in life that is harder for us to overcome. Second is, we can overcome and accomplish anything if we decide to. It will not be easy, but it is possible.

This video shows us that as professionals we can give someone a totally different identity. "We are climbers first, disabled second." We can used our programs to give people their positive identity.

This videos talks about accomplishing goals. We can help others gain self-esteem by helping them create and then achieve their goals.

Here is a link I found for creating outdoor programs for everyone: https://outdoorsforall.org/

Outdoor Activities

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Outdoor Activities includes water sports such as sailing, canoeing, kayaking; snow based programs such as downhill and cross country skiing, snow machining, ice fishing; land based activities such as camping, rock climbing, hiking bicycling, riding horses, fishing and hunting.

Benefits of Outdoor Recreation

• Physical Exercise and Activity
• Physical challenge
• Learning new skills and applying those skills
• Enjoy the wonders and beauty of Nature
• Opportunity to be with friends
• Freedom from daily stress and pressures
• Closeness to Heavenly Father; spiritual growth
• Outdoor activities are Fun and enjoyable!
• Excitement of planning an outdoor experience

Below are a number of successful outdoor programs.
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center
(www.boec.org)
Extraordinary things happen at the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC). A man with quadriplegia finds the courage and patience to take on the high ropes course, a woman who is blind feels the thrill of carving down some fresh powder, a group of teenage boys learn what it means to work hard as they set fence ties on a desert farm in Utah; these are mere glimpses of what happens at the BOEC. For more than 35 years, the BOEC has been changing lives, or more accurately, showing people that they have the power within themselves to change their own lives. The mission of the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center is to expand the potential of people of all abilities through meaningful, educational, and inspiring outdoor experiences, with a specialized focus on serving those with disabilities and special needs. The BOEC offers an Adaptive Ski and Ride School, Wilderness Programs (on-site as well as mobile courses), Professional Team-building Retreats, and a unique Internship Program. Situated on 39 acres above Breckenridge, Colorado, the BOEC features a residential lodge, climbing wall, high ropes course, team initiatives, rafts, canoes, sea kayaks, teepees, as well as programs at many locales in the mountains and on the rivers of the Colorado Rockies and the Desert Southwest.
Bradford Woods
(www.bradwoods.org)
Bradford Woods is a national and international leader in the application of universal design principles on our property. Our facilities are designed for all participants, regardless of their ability level. Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design (NCA). Many examples of Universal Design can be found on the grounds of Bradford Woods. These include, but are not limited to, our nationally known Amphitheater, switchback trail, high universal course, climbing tower, and Olympic-sized swimming pool.
The Therapeutic Camp program is designed to support each group’s medical, social, and physical needs. Camps are grouped by diagnosis so that each child has his or her specific needs met. This also provides a unique opportunity for youth to form social connections with and receive support from others who have similar life circumstances.
Multiple clinical research projects at Bradford Woods have concluded that our Recreation Therapy summer camp program meets the psycho-social needs of our campers through this disability specific design in that it provides a normalizing experience, a supportive community to be one’s self without medical labels, and to simply be a kid without barriers. We recognize that opportunities to find support from staff and peers with similar disabilities is absolutely crucial for positive psycho-social support, growth, and long term achievement. Indeed, our research has confirmed that there are few, if any, opportunities for youth to have this experience in a supportive, empowering, inclusive, and camper first environment.
The State of Colorado offers a variety of year-round activities for disabled persons seeking indoor and outdoor adventures.

Summer

Hiking in Boulder

Outside of Boulder are 21 natural sites and 22 trails that meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines. The website provides a guidebook for people with disabilities featuring descriptions, maps and videos of wheelchair user Topher Downham navigating each trail www.Bouldercolorado.gov
CTRC CampsThe Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center (CTRC) provides the opportunity for children and adults with disabilities to ride horses with the assistance of certified instructors. CTRC offers a camp where children with and without disabilities can learn to participate in group games and horse-related arts. www.ctrcinc.org
No BarriersNo Barriers USA, a gathering of assistive technology pioneers, has selected Telluride to host its summit August 8–11, 2013. Scientists, inventors, and people hindered by physical limitations will collaborate on solutions for those who are challenged to achieve their wildest dreams. www.nobarriersusa.org
Summit Rock Climbing with Paradox SportsParadox Sports, in partnership with the Boulder Rock Club, has established a bimonthly Front Range Adaptive Climbing Clinic for disabled climbers. www.pardoxsports.org
ASA Summer ProgramDurango’s Adaptive Sports Association’s (ASA) summer program supports accessibility with rafting as well as canoeing and kayaking. Adaptive adult and tandem trikes are also available. www.asadurango.org
NSCD Summer ProgramThe National Sports Center for the Disabled’s (NSCD) summer program offers adventures for all ages, including horseback riding, sailing, and more. www.nscd.org
ASC Summer ProgramThe summer program at the Adaptive Sports Center (ASC) brings dynamic adaptive activities including downhill mountain biking, cycling, hiking, and more. www.adaptivesports.org

Winter

ASA Winter Program

The winter program at Durango’s Adaptive Sports Association (ASA) provides one-on-one lessons and state-of-the-art equipment and instruction, even the method of “sit-skiing.” www.asadurango.org
NSCD Winter ProgramThe National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) offers options from alpine and cross-country skiing, and even ski biking. The NSCD camps of overnight hut trips, moonlight adventures and world-class ski racing. www.nscd.org
ASC Winter ProgramThe winter program at the Adaptive Sports Center (ASC) includes Siblings Camps, Ladies Getaways, full and half day ski, monoski, ski bike, and snowboard lessons as well as hut trips and snowshoe outings. www.adaptivesports.org

Something from someone else blog: Camp Kostopulos  

Lesson 8, Networking is Great!

This week we focused on Networking. I never thought much about networking, especially not in my professional life. This week helped me to understand not only HOW to network, but why it is so crucial to my profession particularly as being involved in recreation. I guess that last part isn't exactly fact, but the more I thought about it, the more I came to that conclusion. Let me explain. 

Every time someone asked me what I'm studying and I respond with recreation management, they all give me the same look. "Well that is a useless degree." I also used to work with our local YMCA and I've seen first hand how hard it is to get funds/support for the programs they were trying to put together. From these experiences I have concluded that most people see recreation as lesser than other professions. By having a good network, we will have other ways to get the support we need as well as the opportunity to help serve others who are trying to build up our community. 

As a side note: This is the purpose of our professions. To make our communities and peoples lives better. We should try to partner ourselves with others who have that as their main priority too :) 

Here are two videos that give advice on networking. 

I liked the last video because sincerity is so key. It will help you feel better about your partnerships and will help those you are working with feel like they are not being used. 

As we go into our lives let us bring these three key attributes: Positive attitude, enthusiasm, and sincerity and I believe that we will succeed. 

Here is some information that I do not want to loose: 

WHAT IS NETWORKING?

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Networking

Definition: Networking is the process of establishing and maintaining communication with professionals and consumers from a variety of backgrounds that have a common vision about community leisure services.

1. Networking occurs between various individuals including different
1. Disciplines
2. Consumers
3. Agencies
4. organizations
2. Primary reasons for Networking
1. Accommodate needs of individuals in our program
2. Serve more people with disabilities

Benefits of Networking

1. Agencies can increase internal resources by adding the specialized skills of staff that work with the other agencies with which they network.
1. Can guide individuals to programs
2. Provide planning, teaching and leading skills to recreation activities
2. Staff within the network may be able to assist other agencies
1. Can help during peaks
2. Lead to higher quality service
3. Improve resource utilization
3. Networks are enhanced when united
1. Focus more on individuals needs
2. Greater success is achieved
4. Increased information flow through organizations in the network
1. For example, when a therapeutic recreation specialist in a hospital shares the discharge with a community recreation professional
2. Individual with disability has a better chance of receiving better care.
3. Both parties are able to communicate needs of patient with each other successfully
5. Keeps professionals and peers informed within and outside their respective fields
1. Provide more diverse programs, better facilities, and a variety of trained professionals
2. Better services that improve quality of life for individual
6. Share common vision
1. The vision spreads and more rights are created for people with disabilities
2. No longer parents or advocacy groups, it’s the whole network

Keys to Effective Networking

1. Common Vision
2. Communication
3. Compromise (win-win)
4. Commitment
5. Consumer Involvement by people with disabilities
6. Clarity (roles, authority)

Elements of Networking

1. Decide if you have enough in common to start a partnership
1. Shared vision and motivation to accomplish is a must!
2. Combines missions through mutually agreed upon goals and objectives
2. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of all individuals involved in the network
1. Supplementing weaknesses and complimenting strengths increases success
2. By realizing that networks are long-term relationships, we can overcome short-term failures
3. Compromise
1. Take risks without anticipating rejection
2. Be receptive to new ideas
3. Always search for win-win solutions
4. Communicate
1. Remain in touch with those involved
1. Promotes motivated employees
2. Provides information regarding consumer satisfaction and views
5. Benefits of communication:
1. Increases motivation
2. Shares important information regarding progress toward the goal
3. Provides assistance when facing a difficult task

What you can do to promote networking and collaboration

1. Personally
1. keep an open mind, ask questions and seek clarification
2. follow through with your responsibilities and tasks
3. know your limits and when to get help
2. Regarding Others
1. bring more people into your network
2. recognize others and their achievements give feedback
3. value and act on the expertise of others in the network-listen
4. obtain training and info. that will increase your skills
5. remember why you are collaborating-to help people with disabilities live enriched lives with inclusive recreation.

Community Resources

1. Human Resources
• give out responsibilities
2. Information
• Net, Libraries, Computer resources, and conferences
3. Financial
• State and Federal taxes, fees from participants, fundraising and grants
4. Facilities and Equipment
• work with other facilities to save money
• Special Olympics using BYU swimming pool for free, also had volunteer network
5. Transportation
• carpools and carts 

Here is a link that I got from another persons blog: http://www.difflearn.com/ 

Lesson 7 I'm in Heaven!

Super cheesy title, but I'M IN MEXICO RIGHT NOW AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL!! I've never been out of the country, so you can understand my excitement :)

This week we learned about how to create programs that are fully accessible. This is a website that I found to help me with our case study this week:

Principles for Adapting Recreation Programs

We watched a few videos showing good examples of recreation programs that include people with disabilities:

The coach of the disability sports program said something I really enjoyed. I won't quote it exactly, but in effect it said that by interacting, coaching, and interacting with those people who have disabilities, her appreciate for the sweetness of life and activities is increased. I think as we realize this, we can bring that enthusiasm to work and help others realize their potential and how great life really is!

I also like how one of her track students said that she was hard on them. If we are truly going to treat those individuals who have disabilities the same as we treat everyone else, we will need to push them to excel sometimes. I think it is a tendency of human nature to fall beneath our potential and have the need of external motivation sometimes. People with disabilities can be the same way. We all have a divine nature and have potential beyond what we can comprehend. I am grateful for the people in my life who have pushed me to excel when I needed it.

Here is some information from this week that I do not want to loose and something from a classmates portfolio that I am required to add weekly: 

http://www.un.org/wcm/webdav/site/sport/shared/sport/SDP%20IWG/Chapter5_SportandDisability.pdf

What is Program Accessibility and how is it accomplished?

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Approach

• Designing recreation programs and activities so people with disabilities can actively and socially participate in them.
• Approach > Enter > Use > Conveniences

The Inclusion Process

Step One: Program Promotion

• Refers to advertising and promotion of program.
• Ask questions to ensure that advertising is conveying the message that you want. Do my flyers show that my program is accessible? Are my flyers reaching the special population?

Step Two: Registration Process and Assessment of Needs

• Registration forms need to include a space where the applicant can state any special needs.
• Be prepared to meet with applicants to discuss special needs and how to best prepare for optimal experience.
• Does the participant require any accommodations of have any needs of which we should be aware?

Step Three: Accommodations and Supports

• Accommodations: Equipment and Activity Adaptations
1. Besides the person’s own devices, do we need any special equipment or modifications?
2. Have the steps of the activity been broken down into small tasks to match the competence of the participant?
3. Do we need to make changes to the rules to accommodate everyone?
4. Is the terrain or space accessible to everyone?
5. 5. How we manage the dynamics of the group to operate more effectively?
• Supports: Additional Staff of Volunteers What additional support staff does our program need?
• Assign a one-to one assistant
• Assign an extra staff member for the group
• Develop a “leisure partner” or peer support system
• Develop a leisure coach system

Step Four: Staff Training

• All staff participants are well informed and prepared.
• Guidelines: Is our training ongoing and consistent? Conducted with new programs? For all program leaders? Involve participant input? Are new staff members educated and trained in the inclusion process?
• Topics: Do our training topics include importance of inclusion? Benefits of inclusion? Disability awareness activities? People-first language? Simulation/experiential activities? Involve scenarios? Leadership roles? Discuss only important needs of specific participants?
• Does our program offer equal special personal care?
• Are the non disabled participants comfortable and well informed of needs of participants with disabilities?

Step Five: Program Implementation

• Are we executing the principles that we had prepared for?
• Are we communicating well with patrons to further improve the program?

Step Six: Documentation

• Are we properly documenting daily progress to evaluate success over time?

Step Seven: Evaluation

• Involve everyone (participants, parents, leaders) in evaluation process
• What happened? Why did it happen? What could be improved? What can be done differently?

Principles for Structuring Social Integration in Recreation Activities

1. Frequent and consistent opportunities to get acquainted
2. Equal status
3. Mutual goals
4. Cooperation and interdependence
5. Receiving accurate (not stereotyped) information about the person with a disability
6. Fair and tolerant norms

Developing friendships

• Promote social integration to develop reciprocal relationships whether they have a disability or not.

Scenario

A staff member from a psychosocial rehabilitation center for people with mental illness calls you to see if one of his clients can join the painting class your agency sponsors. How should you proceed with this situation?

• Step 1: Re-evaluate brochures to ensure the clarity that all are welcome; ask what interested them in the program.
• Step 2: Ask if any special considerations are needed for the client; have the client come in ahead of time to familiarize themselves with the facilities and answer questions with the registration process.
• Step 3: Inform staff of the new participant from the psychosocial rehabilitation center; assign a volunteer to work one on one with the new participant.
• Step 4: Make sure staff is trained and prepared for the inclusion of the participant; inform class of new participant.
• Step 5: Monitor the program.
• Step 6: Document observations of the participants and the staff, and their ability to implement inclusion for the new participant.
• Step 7: Evaluate effectiveness by questioning staff members and especially the one on one volunteer. Get feedback from the rehabilitation center and if they would be interested in coming again.
• Promote social integration by:
• introductions
• organizing small groups of 2-3 for community sharing and cooperation
• recognizing the new participant when he/she does something well

Week 5 Character Strengths

Week 5 we had the opportunity to learn about character strengths and how to best utilize those strenghts. My survey was not working, but I tried again from Mexico (I'm in freaking Mexico right now!!!) and it worked! Ha-zah! Here are my results :) Seems accurate.

1.

Love

You value close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated. The people to whom you feel most close are the same people who feel most close to you.

2.

Humor

You like to laugh and tease. Bringing smiles to other people is important to you. You try to see the light side of all situations.

3.

Spirituality

You have strong and coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe. You know where you fit in the larger scheme. Your beliefs shape your actions and are a source of comfort to you.

4.

Judgment

Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.

5.

Social intelligence

You are aware of the motives and feelings of other people. You know what to do to fit in to different social situations, and you know what to do to put others at ease.

6.

Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence

You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

7.

Honesty

You are an honest person, not only by speaking the truth but by living your life in a genuine and authentic way. You are down to earth and without pretense; you are a "real" person.

8.

Gratitude

You are aware of the good things that happen to you, and you never take them for granted. Your friends and family members know that you are a grateful person because you always take the time to express your thanks.

9.

Prudence

You are a careful person, and your choices are consistently prudent ones. You do not say or do things that you might later regret.

10.

Perspective

Although you may not think of yourself as wise, your friends hold this view of you. They value your perspective on matters and turn to you for advice. You have a way of looking at the world that makes sense to others and to yourself.

11.

Bravery

You are a courageous person who does not shrink from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain. You speak up for what is right even if there is opposition. You act on your convictions.

12.

Love of learning

You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.

13.

Curiosity

You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.

14.

Hope

You expect the best in the future, and you work to achieve it. You believe that the future is something that you can control.

15.

Kindness

You are kind and generous to others, and you are never too busy to do a favor. You enjoy doing good deeds for others, even if you do not know them well.

16.

Forgiveness

You forgive those who have done you wrong. You always give people a second chance. Your guiding principle is mercy and not revenge.

17.

Zest

Regardless of what you do, you approach it with excitement and energy. You never do anything halfway or halfheartedly. For you, life is an adventure.

18.

Fairness

Treating all people fairly is one of your abiding principles. You do not let your personal feelings bias your decisions about other people. You give everyone a chance.

19.

Leadership

You excel at the tasks of leadership: encouraging a group to get things done and preserving harmony within the group by making everyone feel included. You do a good job organizing activities and seeing that they happen.

20.

Perseverance

You work hard to finish what you start. No matter the project, you "get it out the door" in timely fashion. You do not get distracted when you work, and you take satisfaction in completing tasks.

21.

Creativity

Thinking of new ways to do things is a crucial part of who you are. You are never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is possible.

22.

Self-Regulation

You self-consciously regulate what you feel and what you do. You are a disciplined person. You are in control of your appetites and your emotions, not vice versa.

23.

Teamwork

You excel as a member of a group. You are a loyal and dedicated teammate, you always do your share, and you work hard for the success of your group.

24.

Humility

You do not seek the spotlight, preferring to let your accomplishments speak for themselves. You do not regard yourself as special, and others recognize and value your modesty.